Tuesday, 14 August 2018

The MDC extends its commendations to the Zimbabwe Defence
Forces (ZDF), in celebration of the 2018 edition of the Defence Forces Day.

A product of Zimbabwe’s heroic liberation struggle, the ZDF
have since 1980 had illustrious moments that have done us proud as a nation.
Nationally, these moments have included operations to rescue communities in
harm’s way during cyclones and other natural disasters, initiatives to provide
medical doctors, build schools, clinics, bridges and other social amenities,
especially in marginalised communities across the country.

The ZDF have also contributed to peacekeeping missions
under the banner of Sadc, African Union and the United Nations. It is a matter
of national pride that the ZDF have discharged their responsibilities in these
missions with highly regarded discipline and professionalism that is second to
none.

In great part and thanks to the ZDF’s professional young
men and women, our country has by and large remained a beacon of exemplary
peace and stability. Our military is one of the finest on the continent, their
readiness to make the ultimate sacrifice for our security cannot be overstated.

As we acknowledge and celebrate the ZDF’s accomplishments,
we must also express the grave concerns that the country now has following
deeply worrying developments in the context of our politics.

While our professional soldiers continue to work hard to
earn their stars, our politicians have conducted themselves in ways that risk
tarnishing the good reputation of the ZDF. Since 1980, politicians have tried
to exploit our men and women in uniform, reducing them to pawns, to prop up
their political ambitions.

This abuse weakens our military and arouses public
resentment against the gallant sons and daughters who protect our country. This
is why, as MDC Alliance, we make the commitment that under our new government
this will never happen. The military must be allowed to pursue its
constitutional mandate without interference from self-serving political actors.

The most successful countries in the world allow their
military bases to be the hubs of innovation, ingenuity, human development and
progressive societal renewal. It is in this connection that the internet we
enjoy today is a product of military innovation. When our men and women are not
serving abroad, they must be developing methods and tools to improve the lives of
our people.

At no point should our military be weakened, balkanized and
divided into units under the control of self-serving politicians with warlord
mentalities.

On 15 November 2017 there was a facade of a change of
guard. A new dispensation was promised. Zimbabweans welcomed the intervention
and there was dancing in the streets. But the dancing was not to last. The
people had been deceived. Those who had preached constitutionalism had done so
not out of love for the people but out of love for themselves. They immediately
took over power for themselves at the highest levels of government in cabinet,
in the presidency and in Zanu PF.

On 1 August 2018 a unit of our armed forces were given an
unlawful order; armed with live ammunition and bayonets, they confronted
protestors and bystanders. At least six unarmed civilians were killed, some
shot in the back as they fled. This happened in full view of rolling cameras.
Subsequently, there was a well-documented week of intimidation and harassment
of people in Harare’s residential areas.

It is appalling that, as the country marks Zimbabwe Defence
Forces Day, there are grieving families in anguish, whose loved ones are no
more, having been gunned down in cold blood by soldiers executing an unlawful
directive. The politicians who gave this unlawful August 1 order have not been
held to account. This is because impunity reigns in this outgoing government.
Impunity has been the defining characteristic of this government.

According to the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the function of
the Defence Forces is to protect Zimbabwe, its people, its national security
and interests and its territorial integrity and to uphold the Constitution. It
is a national tragedy that this outgoing government has failed to fulfil this constitutional
obligation.

Sadly, to many Zimbabweans today, ZDF now appears to be an
offensive force due to the mischief of rogue and self-serving political
elements who have tarnished an army whose majority members are loyal
Zimbabweans who are professional soldiers.

It is opportune to use the Defence Forces Day to reflect on
this tragedy to get rid of self-serving political elements and to find a
lasting solution to get ZDF out of partisan politics and set it to
professionally discharge its constitutional obligation to protect Zimbabwe and
Zimbabweans.

Under our incoming new government the overarching goal of
our military will always be to disrupt, dismantle, defeat and prevent anyone
from building capacity to threaten Zimbabwe and our allies.

Our strategic goal will be to build respect and admiration
for our army. We have a three-point plan for our military to be restored to its
glory based on handsome remuneration, strategic patriotic reorientation and
advanced technological capacitation.